System and method for rendering micro gloss effect image patterns on a recording medium

ABSTRACT

A system and method renders a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer having multiple color marking materials by electronically creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; electronically painting the first image region of the electronic image region with single component black; electronically painting the second image region of the electronic image region with multiple component black, the multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the second image region of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the first image region of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material.

BACKGROUND

In conventional printing processes, requiring security measures, a pattern color space having specialty imaging characteristics have been utilized to provide the security measures and prevent counterfeiting of printed materials.

In addition, in conventional printing processes, a pattern color space has been utilized, in part on variable data, such as printing logos, serial numbers, seat locations, or other types of unique identifying information on printed materials.

In security applications, it is desirable to add information to a document that prevents or hinders alterations and counterfeiting. These security elements may conflict with the overall aesthetics of the document.

Specialty imaging has been used, conventionally, in printed materials to provide fraud protection and anti-counterfeiting measures. Some examples are in prescriptions, contracts, documents, coupons, and tickets. Typically, several specialty imaging techniques are used at various positions in a document. However, specialty imaging text techniques take up space in the document.

One example of a conventional specialty imaging technique restricts designers to use rectangular areas for security elements of documents. This may be acceptable for locating security elements in headers, footers, or similar areas of documents. However, rectangular security elements may not be as “pleasing” in other document areas.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, typical specialty imaging techniques are implemented in document security elements that are restricted to rectangular areas. This is an example of current specialty imaging capabilities which provide static (i.e., non-dynamic) specialty imaging marks with respect to “design” freedom.

In FIG. 1, the rectangular footer provides a logo which incorporates a GlossMark™ text in the right of the rectangular area. Also, microtext lines, another type of a rectangular element, are included as part of the table delineation in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2, GlossMark™ text is used in the rectangular area at the bottom, a Fluorescent text is used in the rectangular area in the top left, and a microtext line is in the center left portion of a parking permit. These elements are useful in the context of security, but lack aesthetic value.

Examples of conventional specialty imaging techniques are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,118,870; U.S. Pat. No. 8,896,886; U.S. Pat. No. 8,310,718; U.S. Pat. No. 7,324,241; U.S. Pat. No. 7,391,529; U.S. Pat. No. 7,092,128; Published US Patent Application Number 2007/0139680; Published US Patent Application Number 2007/0139681; Published US Patent Application Number 2009/0207433; Published US Patent Application Number 2009/0262400; Published US Patent Application Number 2010/0214595; Published US Patent Application Number 2010/0238513; Published US Patent Application Number 2011/00127331; Published US Patent Application Number 2011/0191670; Published US Patent Application Number 2011/0205569; Published US Patent Application Number 2012/0140290; and Published US Patent Application Number 2015/0271364.

The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 9,118,870 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 8,310,718 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 8,896,886 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 7,324,241 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 7,391,529 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 7,092,128 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2007/0139680 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2007/0139681 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2009/0207433 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2009/0262400 is hereby incorporated by reference.

The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2010/0214595 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2010/0238513 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2011/00127331 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2011/0191670 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2011/0205569 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2012/0140290 is hereby incorporated by reference. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2015/0271364 is hereby incorporated by reference.

In the various conventional gloss effect specialty imaging techniques identified above, the conventional gloss effect imaging methods, with a few exceptions when utilizing very high end print systems, do not necessarily work well with low gloss toners.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a gloss effect specialty imaging technique, which does not require high glossmarking materials, and still cannot be readily replicated by conventional copiers and/or scanner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating various embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an example of printed material with security elements;

FIG. 2 shows another example of printed material with security elements;

FIG. 3 is block diagram of a printing system suitable for implementing one or more aspects of the exemplary methods described herein;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a digital front end controller useful for implementing one or more aspects of the exemplary methods described herein;

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a graphic image with certain objects printed with a pattern color space created using variable data;

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a pattern color space created using variable data;

FIG. 7 shows a portion of the graphic image of FIG. 5 with an object filled with the pattern color space of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows another portion of the graphic image of FIG. 5 with another object filled with another exemplary embodiment of a pattern color space using variable data;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary embodiment of a process for creating a pattern color space for use in conjunction with processing a print job;

FIG. 10 shows a ‘typical’ GlossMark™ font element;

FIG. 11 shows an example of a CorrleationMark™ string;

FIG. 12 shows an example of a GlossMark™ string;

FIG. 13 shows an example of a color shift ink image using non-special inks or marking materials;

FIG. 14 shows an example of a double layer micro gloss image;

FIG. 15 shows an example of a glossmark;

FIG. 16 shows an example of a micro glossmark;

FIG. 17 shows an example of the gloss effect when using two different patterns with one relatively smoother than the other;

FIG. 18 shows an example of the reverse gloss effect of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 shows the example of FIG. 17 with the addition of darker pixels;

FIG. 20 shows an UV/florescence example of adding both a structure and color to an image to improve the color matching;

FIG. 21 shows a portion of a printed image having a hole to allow substrate show through;

FIG. 22 shows a portion of a printed image having a hole to allow substrate show through wherein the hole is filled with a marking material matching the color of the substrate;

FIG. 23 shows a flowchart for creating an electronic image, which when rendered with marking materials, will have a seesaw gloss effect;

FIG. 24 illustrates an electronic image region having a first color and holes, which when rendered with marking materials, will have a rough surface;

FIG. 25 illustrates an electronic image region having a first color and holes and a first image consisting of the first color and a second color, the first image, when rendered with marking materials, having a smooth surface where the first image is located;

FIG. 26 illustrates an electronic image region having a first color and holes, a first image consisting of the first color and a second color, and a second image consisting of a third color, the second image, when rendered with marking materials, having a smooth surface where the first image is located and a rough surface where the second image does not intersect the first image;

FIG. 27 illustrates the electronic image region of FIG. 24 rendered with marking material to create a rough surface;

FIG. 28 illustrates the first image of the electronic image region of FIG. 25 rendered with marking material to create a smooth surface;

FIG. 29 illustrates the second image of the electronic image region of FIG. 26 rendered with marking material to create a rough surface where the second image does not intersect the first image;

FIG. 30 illustrates the second image of the electronic image region of FIG. 26 rendered with marking material to create a smooth surface where the second image intersects the first image;

FIG. 31 illustrates a rendered recording medium, wherein the rendered recording medium is being viewed at a first angle to reveal the image “FIRST LAYER”;

FIG. 32 illustrates the rendered recording medium of FIG. 31, wherein the rendered recording medium is being viewed at a second angle to reveal the image “2;”

FIG. 33 illustrates a conventional correlation mark as viewed without a screen;

FIG. 34 illustrates a conventional correlation mark as viewed with a screen;

FIG. 35 illustrates an up-close view of a conventional correlation mark with text “12;”

FIG. 36 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern;

FIG. 37 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern orthogonal to the vector pattern of FIG. 36;

FIG. 38 illustrates an up-close view of a correlation mark with text “36” created using the pattern cells of FIG. 36 and FIG. 37;

FIG. 39 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern for a first layer of a multilayer correlation mark;

FIG. 40 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern for a first layer of a multilayer correlation mark, which is parallel to, but out of phase with, the vector pattern of FIG. 39;

FIG. 41 illustrates an up-close view of a correlation mark with text “ef” created using the pattern cells of FIG. 39 and FIG. 40;

FIG. 42 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern;

FIG. 43 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern orthogonal to the vector pattern of FIG. 42;

FIG. 44 illustrates an up-close view of a glossmark with text “ABCDE” created using the pattern cells of FIG. 42 and FIG. 43;

FIG. 45 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern for a second layer of a multilayer correlation mark;

FIG. 46 illustrates a rendered pattern cell created with a vector pattern for a second layer of a multilayer correlation mark, which is parallel to, but out of phase with, the vector pattern of FIG. 45;

FIG. 47 illustrates an up-close view of a correlation mark with text “HI” created using the pattern cells of FIG. 45 and FIG. 46;

FIG. 48 illustrates differences between creating correlation marks and glossmarks;

FIG. 49 illustrates a side view of a portion of a printed image having solid color toner created background and a glossmark;

FIG. 50 illustrates a top view of a portion of a printed image having solid color toner created background and an alphanumeric glossmark;

FIG. 51 illustrates a flowchart of a process of rendering a gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer; and

FIG. 52 illustrates another flowchart of a process of rendering a gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For a general understanding, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like references have been used throughout to designate identical or equivalent elements. It is also noted that the drawings may not have been drawn to scale and that certain regions may have been purposely drawn disproportionately so that the features and concepts may be properly illustrated.

The term “data” refers herein to physical signals that indicate or include information. An “image,” as a pattern of physical light or a collection of data representing said physical light, may include characters, words, and text as well as other features such as graphics.

A “digital image” is by extension an image represented by a collection of digital data. An image may be divided into “segments,” each of which is itself an image. A segment of an image may be of any size up to and including the whole image.

The term “image object” or “object” as used herein is believed to be considered in the art generally equivalent to the term “segment” and will be employed herein interchangeably.

In a digital image composed of data representing physical light, each element of data may be called a “pixel,” which is common usage in the art and refers to a picture element. Each pixel has a location and value. Each pixel value is a bit in a “binary form” of an image, a gray scale value in a “gray scale form” of an image, or a set of color space coordinates in a “color coordinate form” of an image, the binary form, gray scale form, and color coordinate form each being a two-dimensional array defining an image.

An operation performs “image processing” when it operates on an item of data that relates to part of an image.

“Contrast” is used to denote the visual difference between items, data points, and the like. It can be measured as a color difference or as a luminance difference or both.

A digital color printing system is an apparatus arrangement suited to accepting image data and rendering that image data upon a substrate.

The “RGB color model” is an additive color model in which red, green, and blue light are added together in various ways to reproduce a broad array of colors. The name of the model comes from the initials of the three additive primary colors, red, green, and blue.

The main purpose of the RGB color model is for the sensing, representation, and display of images in electronic systems. RGB is a device-dependent color model: different devices detect or reproduce a given RGB value differently, since the color elements and their response to the individual R, G, and B levels vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, or even in the same device over time. Thus, an RGB value does not define the same color across devices without some kind of color management.

The “CMYK color model” is a subtractive color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself. CMYK refers to the four inks used in some color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

“Colorant” refers to one of the fundamental subtractive C, M, Y, K, primaries, which may be realized in formulation as, liquid ink, solid ink, dye, or electrostatographic toner. A “colorant mixture” is a particular combination of C, M, Y, K colorants.

An “infrared mark” is a watermark embedded in the image that has the property of being relatively indecipherable under normal light, and yet decipherable under infrared illumination by appropriate infrared sensing devices, such as infrared cameras.

“Metameric” rendering/printing is the ability to use multiple colorant combinations to render a single visual color, as can be achieved when printing with more than three colorants.

With reference to FIG. 3, a printing system (or image rendering system) 100 suitable for implementing various aspects of the exemplary embodiments described herein is illustrated.

The word “printer” and the term “printing system” as used herein encompass any apparatus and/or system; such as a digital copier, xerographic and reprographic printing systems, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, multi-function machine, ink-jet machine, continuous feed, sheet-fed printing device, etc.; which may contain a print controller and a print engine and which may perform a print outputting function for any purpose.

The printing system 100 generally includes a user interface 110, a digital front end controller 120, and at least one print engine 130. The print engine 130 has access to print media 135 of various sizes and cost for a print job.

A “print job” or “document” is normally a set of related sheets, usually one or more collated copy sets copied from a set of original print job sheets or electronic document page images, from a particular user, or otherwise related. For submission of a regular print job (or customer job), digital data is generally sent to the printing system 100.

A sorter 140 operates after a job is printed by the print engine 130 to manage arrangement of the hard copy output, including cutting functions. A user can access and operate the printing system 100 using the user interface 110 or via a workstation 150. The workstation 150 communicates with the printing system 100 via a communications network 160.

A user profile, a work product for printing, a media library, and various print job parameters can be stored in a database or memory 170 accessible by the workstation 150 or the printing system 100 via the network 160, or such data can be directly accessed via the printing system 100. One or more color sensors (not shown) may be embedded in the printer paper path, as known in the art.

With respect to FIG. 4, an exemplary digital front end controller 200 is shown in greater detail. The digital front end 200 includes one or more processors, such as processor 206 capable of executing machine executable program instructions.

In the embodiment shown, the processor is in communication with a bus 202 (e.g., a backplane interface bus, cross-over bar, or data network). The digital front end 200 also includes a main memory 204 that is used to store machine readable instructions. The main memory also being capable of storing data. Main memory may alternatively include random access memory (RAM) to support reprogramming and flexible data storage. Buffer 266 is used to temporarily store data for access by the processor.

Program memory 264 includes, for example, executable programs that implement the embodiments of the methods described herein. The program memory 264 stores at least a subset of the data contained in the buffer.

The digital front end 200 includes a display interface 208 that forwards data from communication bus 202 (or from a frame buffer not shown) to a display 210. The digital front end 200 also includes a secondary memory 212 includes, for example, a hard disk drive 214 and/or a removable storage drive 216, which reads and writes to removable storage 218, such as a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, etc., that stores computer software and/or data.

The secondary memory 212 alternatively includes other similar mechanisms for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system. Such mechanisms include, for example, a removable storage unit 222 adapted to exchange data through interface 220.

Examples of such mechanisms include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM, or PROM) and associated socket, and other removable units and interfaces which allow software and data to be transferred.

The digital front end 200 includes a communications interface 224, which acts as both an input and an output to allow software and data to be transferred between the digital front end 200 and external devices. Examples of a communications interface include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, etc.

Computer programs (also called computer control logic) may be stored in main memory 204 and/or secondary memory 212. Computer programs may also be received via a communications interface 224. Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system to perform the features and capabilities provided herein. Software and data transferred via the communications interface can be in the form of signals which may be, for example, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by a communications interface.

These signals are provided to a communications interface via a communications path (i.e., channel) which carries signals and may be implemented using wire, cable, fiber optic, phone line, cellular link, RF, or other communications channels.

Part of the data generally stored in secondary memory 212 for access during digital front end operation is a set of translation tables that convert an incoming color signal into a physical machine signal.

This color signal can be expressed either as a colorimetric value; usually three components as L*a*b*, RGB, XYZ, etc.; into physical exposure signals for the four toners cyan, magenta, yellow and black. These tables are commonly created outside of the digital front end and downloaded, but are optionally created inside the digital front end in a so-called characterization step.

In the some of the descriptions below, specialty imaging elements are used in a dynamic pattern generation process to provide security features.

For example, a specialty imaging technique, as illustrated in FIGS. 5-8, create a pattern color space that incorporates specialty imaging features using standard page description language constructs, such as PostScript™ constructs. The pattern color space can be selected as a color for a color parameter for an object (e.g., lines, text, geometric shapes, freeform shapes, etc.) or an object characteristic (e.g., line color, fill color, foreground color, background color, etc.) in the document.

Specialty imaging techniques can be implemented by creating a specialty image object. Alternatively, specialty imaging techniques can be implemented using page description language constructs, such as PostScript™ constructs, to create a pattern color space, sometimes referred to as a “pattern ink.” In other words, within page description languages, specialty imaging text and specialty imaging pattern inks can be implemented.

Rather than defining the specific string to be rendered at a specified location on the page, a specialty imaging string may be used to define a dynamically created pattern ink. This pattern ink is subsequently accessible by other page description language drawing and rendering commands through selection as a color parameter in the command.

With reference to FIG. 5, an exemplary graphic illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a process for dynamic creation of pattern inks. Through specialty imaging, the shirt, as well as the cart and the rails, can be changed into security elements on a variable data basis.

In this example, a “tile” of GlossMark™ text is defined as a pattern ink. This pattern ink can be previously designed with static characteristics. Alternatively, the pattern ink may be dynamically designed in conjunction with the processing of a corresponding print job.

Both previously and dynamically-designed pattern inks can also incorporate variable data associated with the print job, as illustrated by the string “shirt” for the shirt (see FIG. 7) and “cart” for the cart (see FIG. 8). Additionally, the rails are rendered using a microtext string (see FIG. 8).

An exemplary embodiment of a pattern ink that includes a specialty imaging GlossMark™ test effect for the string “XEROX!”™ may be created using the following exemplary PostScript™ pseudo-code:

TABLE-US-00001/GlossFont/NeueClassic-GL-24 def

/GlossFontsize 28.8 def

/GlossFontstring (XEROX!) def

%% this sets the Font parameters.

-   -   /PatternType 1

%% tiling properties can be defined similar to Holladay dots

-   -   /BBox [0 0 GlossFontstring stringwidth pop GlossFontsize]     -   /XStep GlossFontstring stringwidth pop     -   /YStep smallfontsize

%% geometric values for the tiling rectangle

-   -   /PaintProc {0 0 moveto GlossFontstring show     -   }

%% this creates the variable data string defined through GlossFontstring matrix

makepattern

/GlossTextPaint exch def

%% identifying the patterns as GlossTextPaint

FIG. 6 shows the exemplary pattern ink (or pattern color space) created by the PostScript™ pseudo-code listed above. The string “XEROX!”™ can be traced as the texture change of the halftone for this pattern ink. In this example, the pattern color space of FIG. 6 is available as a “color” or “ink” selection for subsequent PostScript™ drawing commands.

Note that the geometry and size of the pattern in FIG. 6 may be characterized as a fixed portion of the pattern ink. In the example above, the geometry and size of the pattern is created in the first step of the pseudo code.

In one embodiment, a pattern ink (or pattern color space) used for tiling is defined with respect to an origin of a page (i.e., the pattern ink is available for all objects on the page, except for image objects) and not with respect to a specific object.

For example, this means that the GlossMark™ text inside the shirt may start with the letter “X” or any other letter of the string depending on the location of the object in relation to the page. In other words, two identical shirts, drawn at different locations on the page may have different internal GlossMark™ patterns, since their starting position varies.

With reference to FIG. 7, the pattern ink of FIG. 6 is used as the fill color for the shirt of FIG. 5 using the word “shirt” as the variable data string (rather than “Xerox!”)™.

In other words, the word “shirt” is used as GlossMark™ text to create the pattern ink used to render the shirt area of FIG. 5. The word “shirt” is tiled with respect to other occurrences of the word which is based on the tile size for the pattern ink.

Multiple pattern inks can be defined. For example, a pattern consisting of lines of microtext may be defined and used to render the rails at the bottom of the graphic. FIG. 8 provides an enlargement of a small area of the rails to show this pattern ink with microtext.

As previously noted, specialty imaging techniques may be text based, wherein text is any symbol that is encapsulated as font, or image based. In the conventional specialty imaging techniques, the text based specialty imaging techniques can be realized in real-time, whereas the image-based conventional specialty imaging techniques are performed as an offline process, eliminating any real-time capabilities, because of the computational requirement for images that cannot easily be done inside a Postscript™ dataflow through a digital front end.

In the conventional specialty imaging techniques, pattern inks in page description languages; such as PostScript™ and PDF (Portable Document Format); are typically used for repeating patterns, essentially, the pattern inks correspond to tiles that are regularly laid across the page.

In a typical situation, each pattern ink is a rectangular area that is repeated in both x-direction and y-direction across the page. Subsequent PostScript™ commands ‘expose’ that pattern to the printed page in the desired spots, where the phasing of the pattern ink is constant with respect to the original definition.

For example, by defining two pattern inks that have the same average visual color (say in Lab space) but very distinct toner combinations, variable data (text-based) UV fluorescence specialty imaging can be realized.

In this example, the background is ‘painted’ with one of the pattern inks and the foreground with the other, resulting in a distinct UV fluorescence. In essence, the components of the specialty imaging effect are loaded into distinct pattern inks and subsequently selectively ‘paint’ with these two components.

For an image-based real-time specialty imaging technique, the approach described above needs to be inverted. In other words, the image is loaded into the pattern ink memory. This leads to a single pattern ink.

More specifically, the image based real-time specialty imaging technique uses a specialty imaging font (such as a GlossMark™ font or CorrelationMark™ font) in conjunction with the variable data string and uses the image as the “paint” that is poured through the specialty imaging font.

It is noted that the various features of the process disclosed herein may be implemented using hardware, software, or firmware in any suitable combination.

The image based real-time specialty imaging technique process for processing a print job begins when the print job, including variable data to be used in conjunction therewith, in a page description language is received at a digital front end associated with a printing system. At least one object within the print job includes a specialty imaging font (such as a GlossMark™ font or CorrelationMark™ font) that provides fraud protection for printed materials resulting from the print job.

A pattern color space is created using the actual image of the print job so that such that the specialty imaging font (such as a GlossMark™ font or CorrelationMark™ font) is painted with the pattern color space in a tiling manner. In other words, a data string is created using the specialty imaging font (such as a GlossMark™ font or CorrelationMark™ font) and the specialty imaging font data string is painted with the actual image of the print job.

The image based real-time specialty imaging technique process for processing a print job creates a GlossMark™ or CorrelationMark™, in real-time, by: defining, in the page description language, a variable portion; defining, in the page description language, a fixed portion of the pattern color space.

The fixed portion is the image of the print job; defining, in the page description language, a bounding shape for the pattern color space; and defining, in the page description language, a procedure for painting the variable and fixed portions within the bounding shape, with the image of the print job. The variable portion may be based in part on variable data associated with the print job. The fixed portion (“paint”) is the image of the print job.

The variable data string that is created using the specialty imaging font (such as a GlossMark™ font or CorrelationMark™ font) is painted with the image of the print job, wherein specialty imaging effects in the specialty imaging font is used to create the GlossMark™ or CorrelationMark™, with the image being used as the paint, instead of using two different pattern inks to create the GlossMark™ or CorrelationMark™.

In implementing the image based real-time specialty imaging technique and creating a variable data string, the process does not know, in advance, what the string is going to be used. Additionally, if the size of the font (in pixels) is compared with the size of the image, the selected image is not typically exactly N-lines high and M-characters wide.

In order to circumvent this situation, a single pattern ink cell white space is created on the top and side of the pattern cell, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Preferably, the single pattern ink cell white space is created only once and is placed in a pattern cache for performance.

It is noted that it is not important on which sides the white space is created as long as it is created in both the vertical and horizontal direction since the “pattern” of FIG. 9 is tiled across the entire page, and thus, the white space will be all around the image.

The required size of the white space can be calculated from the specialty imaging font's properties. With respect to the vertical direction (320 of FIG. 9) the line-height of the specialty imaging font is utilized as the height 320 of the white space. Through the tiling, the image based real-time specialty imaging technique will create a full line of white space above and below the image.

When writing the variable data string with the effect, the ceiling {imageheight/lineheight} is the number of lines of variable data text. If the variable data text string does not extend across this range, the image based real-time specialty imaging technique can (a) fill the remainder with a blank “ ” character or preferably (b) replicate the string.

The horizontal white space (310) can be determined by two different scenarios.

In the first scenario, the image based real-time specialty imaging technique deals with strings that physically fit into image size. An upper bound to the white space would be the image width parameter.

It is noted that the upper bound could be extended by the known string length limitations [variable data field length association].

In a second scenario, the image based real-time specialty imaging technique adds additional white space to the side of the image (essentially the remainder of the page). This is utilized when the expected string is completely unknown.

Once the pattern ink (FIG. 9) is created, the pattern ink is now used as a “paintbrush” to actually render the variable data text. In contrast to all previous specialty imaging approaches, the image based real-time specialty imaging technique uses the specialty imaging effect embedded in the delivered fonts and use the pattern ink (FIG. 9) as the “constant” part of the method.

An exemplary embodiment of specialty imaging effects in the specialty imaging font being used to create the GlossMark™ or CorrelationMark™, with the image being used as the paint, may be created using the following exemplary PostScript™ pseudo-code:

% creates a pattern ink from an image and whitespace % xpix ypix = pixels lines of image % xsize ysize = size of image % xmargin ymargin = white space <<  /PatternType 1  /PaintType 1  /TilingType 1  /BBox [xmargin ymargin xsize xmargin add xgap add ysize ymargin add ygap add]  /XStep xsize xgap add  /YStep ysize ygap add  /PaintProc  {   [xsize 0 0 ysize xmargin ymargin] concat   /ImageDict 8 dict def   ImageDict begin    /ImageType 1 def    /Width x def    /Height y def    /BitsPerComponent 8 def    /ImageMatrix [xpix 0 0 -ypix 0 ypix] def    /DataSource imgFile def    /Decode [0 1 0 1 0 1] def   end   COLORSPACE setcolorspace   ImageDict image   imgFile resetfile  } >> matrix makepattern setpattern % fs = font height /lines ysize fs div ceiling cvi def /NeueSecurity-Bold-CR-36 fs selectfont % write enough lines to create entire image lines {  x y fs DEC mul sub moveto  str show  /y y fs add def } repeat

Variable or personalized data is then written using the pattern ink using CorrelationMark™ or GlossMark™ fonts. FIG. 10 shows a ‘typical’ GlossMark™ font element (in this case the letter “A” (410)).

FIGS. 11 and 12 show magnified portions (500 and 600) of a CorrleationMark™ and GlossMark™ string (XEROX)™, respectively, printed using the same image as the pattern ink (FIG. 9). The internal structure, that the specialty imaging effect and the text have maintained, is clearly visible.

More specifically, in FIG. 11, the dotted box 510 encloses the letter X (which has been traced 515) of the CorrleationMark™ string (XEROX)™. In addition, in FIG. 12, the dotted box 610 encloses the letter X (which has been traced 615) of the GlossMark™ string (XEROX)™.

It is noted, from FIGS. 11 and 12, that the available dynamic range of the image is lost since all areas have maintained a certain percentage of “white space” for the specialty imaging effect.

Moreover, it is noted that the images turn ‘lighter’ than the image would have been printed in the normal path due to the additional white space. However, the darkness adjustment can be performed in an offline step. In addition, the darkness can be approximately adjustment by using a simple data scale inside the PostScript™ data.

An example of providing specialty marks is the use of color shifting ink, which appears as one color from a certain angle and another color from another angle. Conventionally, color shifting required a special ink or marking material.

To avoid the use of special inks or marking materials, the color shifting result may be realized by creating a pattern of two different colors, wherein each color has a different height and at least one of the colors is created with a very thin line; for example, one pixel width line.

It is noted, as illustrated in FIG. 13, that there is color shift with 710/720 and 730/720, but not if just 710/730. The intersection of 710/730 creates the distinct line which virtually disappears when shifting.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, a color shifting image 700 can be created using two colors 710 and 730. Each of the colors 710 and 730 has a marking material height, H1. The color shifting image 700 further includes a third color 720 which has a marking material height, H2, wherein the marking material height, H2, is greater than the marking material height, H1.

In one example, the two colors 710 and 730 may be cyan (C) and magenta (M), while the third color 720 may be a composite black such that the color 720 is composed of 100% black (K) and 50% of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). The composite black (third color 720) would have marking material height, H2, which is 2.5 times greater than the marking material height, H1.

It is noted that in the example of FIG. 13, the high color black 720 is wider than the low colors 710 and 730 (cyan and magenta). The smallest magenta or cyan square may be one pixel.

It is further noted that the reverse, where the low color is wider than the high color does not result in a color shift.

It is noted that the color shift may go from black and magenta to black, whereas conventional US currency goes from gold to green.

It is also noted that the low color may be created using a single color component marking material; a single color marking material may be cyan colored marking material (toner), magenta colored marking material (toner), or yellow colored marking material (toner). When the low color is created using a single color component marking material, the background of the color shifting region may be initially rendered with the single color component marking material associated with the low color. Thereafter, the high color can be rendered, in the color shifting region, over the rendered background so as to create the marking material height difference between the low color and the high color.

If the low color is created using more than one single color component marking material, the background of the color shifting region may be initially rendered with the single color component marking materials associated with the low color. Thereafter, the high color can be rendered, in the color shifting region, over the rendered background so as to create the marking material height difference between the low color and the high color.

As noted above, in the area of security printing, documents are protected from copying, forging, and counterfeiting using multiple techniques. Specialty Imaging is one such method of security printing which uses standard materials, such as papers, inks, and/or toners.

MicroGloss (or Artistic Black for VIPP) is a Specialty Imaging technique, which does not require a special tool; e.g., UV light to view and is especially strong in anti-copying.

MicroGloss uses a pair of colors which appear about the same when viewing straight on but show a differential gloss when the image is tilted due to the pile height of the toner or ink.

MicroGloss can also be used to create two micro gloss layers such that only the first micro gloss layer is visible when viewing the image straight on, and the second micro gloss layer is viewable upon tilting the image. It is noted that upon tilting the image the first micro gloss layer is no longer visible.

To create a two layered micro gloss image, one pattern ink with a MicroGloss color pair and variable data is created, and then a second pattern ink with a visibly different MicroGloss color pair but the same variable data is created.

The background of the image is written with the first pattern ink followed by the second layer with the second pattern ink and different variable data.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, the first ink pattern may be composed Color1-High 800 (such as black hi) and Color1-Low 810 (such as black low) with variable data “SAMPLE.”

As illustrated in FIG. 14, the second ink pattern may be composed of Color2-High (such as brown high) and Color2-Low (such as brown low) with variable data “SAMPLE.” The second ink pattern is used to paint variable data “MICRO.”

Upon rendering this image, the variable data “SAMPLE” is rendered in Color1-Low 810 and the background is rendered in Color1-High 800; however, where the portions of the variable data “MICRO” overlap the variable data “SAMPLE,” the overlapping portions (within ovals 830) are rendered with Color2-Low, and where the portions of the variable data “MICRO” overlap the background, the overlapping portions (within ovals 840) are rendered with Color2-Hi.

In the example discussed above, the rendered image would include a black hi background with black low “SAMPLE.” The rendered image would also include brown low portions (within ovals 830) where portions of the variable data “MICRO” overlap the variable data “SAMPLE,” and brown hi portions (within ovals 840) where the portions of the variable data “MICRO” overlap the background.

It is noted that hi/low color pair may be dark red or any of the hi/low color pairs identified in Published US Patent Application Number 2014/0240790. The entire content of Published US Patent Application Number 2014/0240790 is hereby incorporated by reference.

It is also noted that glossmarks are not scalable because glossmarks require a new font for each font size. Moreover, MicroGloss only works at small sizes.

Thus, it is desirable to realize a scalable gloss effect.

Such a scalable gloss effect can be realized by rendering one region with a relatively smooth surface while rendering another region with a relatively rougher surface. The appearances of the two surfaces are approximately the same at one angle, while giving a gloss effect; e.g., text or graphics; at another angle.

Glossmarks, as shown in FIG. 15, create a gloss effect by using two different halftone patterns 910 and 920. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the background is rendered using a first halftone pattern 910 and the letter H is rendered using a second halftone pattern 920. To a casual observer, the image 900 will appear as one color and pattern at one angle, while the character “H” can be seen when tilted. In other words, the H appears to the casual observer as being drawn into the image when the image is tilted.

MicroGloss, as illustrated in FIG. 16, creates a gloss effect by using two different ink or toner pile heights. To a casual observer the image 950 will appear as one color 960 at one angle, while the gloss character 970 can be seen when tilted.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, a gloss effect is created by using two different patterns with one pattern being relatively smoother than the other pattern. In FIG. 17, the “H” is smoother as compared to the background.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the “H” has yellow color holes (1010) and compared to no color (white) holes (1020) in the background. It is noted that clear toner would be used in place of yellow if available.

To a casual observer the image 1000 will appear as one color and pattern at one angle, while the character “H” can be seen when tilted. It is noted that this gloss effect is scalable.

To create the gloss effect of FIG. 17, one pattern ink is created with white holes and a second pattern ink is created with yellow holes. Thereafter, a text box is created with a certain background color (such as magenta) and white holes (1020) are added. The letter, “H,” is then written and yellow dots (1010) are added.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, a reverse gloss effect is created by using two different patterns with one pattern being relatively smoother than the other pattern. In FIG. 18, the background is smoother as compared to the “H.”

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 18, the “H” has white color holes (1110) and compared to yellow holes (1120) in the background. It is noted that clear toner would be used in place of yellow if available.

To create the gloss effect of FIG. 18, one pattern ink is created with white holes and a second pattern ink is created with yellow holes. Thereafter, a text box is created with a certain background color (such as magenta) and yellow holes (1220) are added. The letter, “H,” is then written and white dots (1110) are added.

It is noted that a better color match can be realized by adding darker pixels 1230, as illustrated in FIG. 19. In FIG. 19, the “H” has yellow color holes (1210) and compared to no color (white) holes (1220) in the background, as well as, darker pixels 1230 in the background.

Specialty Imaging techniques often rely on creating metameric pattern ink pairs such as UV (ultraviolet)/florescence and IR (infrared). The scalable gloss effect, described above, used a pair of pattern inks that appear about the same at one angle and show a differential gloss effect when tilted.

It is noted that Specialty Imaging quality is judged on the strength of the effect; e.g., UV signal and the hiding between the foreground and background pattern inks. In other words, the test is whether the signal (pattern) that is seen under UV illumination can be seen under ambient illumination. Conventionally, distraction patterns, color compensation, and/or noise have been used to help in hiding, but at the cost of effect (signal) degradation.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, an example of an UV (ultraviolet)/florescence effect is created by adding both a structure and color to enhance the hiding between the foreground and background pattern inks.

In this example, as illustrated in FIG. 20, the structure in the top half (1310) of the image 1300 is a triangle 1330. The triangle structure 1330 is in both the foreground and the background.

The background pattern ink colors may be cyan, magenta, and yellow while the foreground pattern ink colors may be red, blue, white, yellow, and magenta.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, the top half (1310) of the image 1300 includes the string “Xerox”™.

The structure in the bottom half (1320) of the image 1300 is a diamond 1350 and a small square 1360 at its center. The diamond 1350 and small square 1360 structure is in both the foreground and the background.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, the bottom half (1320) of the image 1300 includes the string “Xerox”™.

To enhance Specialty Imaging quality, color substrates are used in conjunction with Specialty Imaging color matching techniques, wherein at least one of the pattern inks has holes allowing the substrate color to show through.

To enhance quality, the substrate color that shows is matched in the other pattern ink by reproducing the same color via available markers, thereby realizing improved color matching (or better hiding) between the foreground and background pattern inks with little or no degradation in effect.

As noted above, to enhance quality, the substrate color that shows is matched in the other pattern ink by reproducing the same color via available markers.

In realizing this enhancement, as illustrated in FIG. 21, one pattern ink allows the color of the substrate 1400 to be viewed via holes 1450 in the pattern ink 1425. The other pattern ink, as illustrated in FIG. 22, fills these holes with the matching color marker 1475

The pattern inks appear almost identical in color but exhibit differential properties in other areas, such as gloss effect.

This allows improved color consistency between the foreground and background pattern inks currently used in UV/florescence, IR, and gloss effects.

FIGS. 21 and 22 demonstrate the use of a colored substrate 1400 with a same color marker 1475.

FIG. 21 shows a colored (color1) substrate 1400 with black markers 1425 on both sides and no marker in the center (hole 1450). This example pattern ink shows colors black/color1/black, wherein color1 is from the substrate.

FIG. 22 appears the same color as FIG. 21, but has a difference in that color1 is from a marker. This difference can be used to create security elements such as UV markers.

In the cases where the substrate does not match a primary marker color in the printer, the appropriate mix of marker materials filling the holes can be used to achieve color consistency.

It is further noted that a comparison of images using holes showing yellow substrate and holes filled with yellow marker verses using holes showing white substrate and holes filled with yellow ink, the gloss effect works in all cases.

However, the color matching is improved when the holes are filled with a marking material, preferably a marking material matching the color of the substrate, by making it more difficult to read the text when the substrate is not tilted.

In summary, the use of a color substrate and matching color marker enhances Specialty Imaging quality. The color of the substrate shows through holes in one pattern ink, while the corresponding holes in another pattern ink are filled with a color marker matching the color of the substrate.

The differential properties between the filled and unfilled holes are used to create Specialty Imaging effects such as gloss and UV.

More specifically, if the holes are filled with a marking material having a color matching the color of the substrate upon which the image is being rendered, a gloss effect is realized.

If the holes are filled with a marking material having a color matching the color of the substrate upon which the image is being rendered, a UV effect is realized by the fluorescents in the recording medium or substrate showing through the holes.

It is further noted that a copier or scanner also views the substrate color and marker filled holes the same for superior anti-copy properties.

For example, if the image illustrated in FIG. 18 was rendered on a substrate having a color matching the color of the marking material associated with holes 1120, a copier or scanner would view the image illustrated in FIG. 18 as a solid color, not discerning the “H.”

FIG. 23 illustrates a flowchart of an example of a process for creating gloss effect image patterns to be rendered on a recording medium. As illustrated in FIG. 23, an electronic image region is created at step S10. The electronic image region is created in an electronic memory (hardware) by a processor or controller (hardware) in conjunction with software and/or firmware.

At step S20, a rough surface emulation area is created in the electronic image region by electronically painting the electronic image region with an ink pattern that includes a first color and holes, wherein the holes are locations in the ink pattern where the first color is absent.

At step S30, a first image is electronically created in the electronic image region, and at step S40, holes in the first image are electronically painted with a second color to create a smooth surface emulation area in the first image in the electronic image region.

At step S50, a second image is electronically created in the electronic image region, and at step S60, the first color in the second image is electronically replaced with a third color to maintain a rough surface emulation area in the second image in the electronic image region where the first image does not intersect the second image and to maintain a smooth surface emulation area in the first image in the electronic image region where the first image intersects the second image.

The electronic image region resulting from the process, illustrated in FIG. 23, is rendered with marking materials on a recording medium such that the first image is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the second image is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle, the second image not being visible when the relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is the first angle.

FIG. 24 illustrates an electronic image region 1500, wherein the electronic image region has locations 1510 corresponding to a first color and locations 1520 corresponding to holes, holes being where the first color is absent.

It is noted that FIG. 24 may also illustrate a rendered electronic image region 1500, wherein the rendered electronic image region has locations 1510 corresponding to a first color and locations 1520 corresponding to holes, holes being where the first color is absent, to create a rough surface on a recording medium.

FIG. 25 illustrates an electronic image region 1500 having a first image (letter T as identified by the dashed line) 1550.

As illustrated in FIG. 25, the electronic image region has locations 1510 (within and outside the first image 1550) corresponding to a first color and locations 1520 (outside the first image 1550) corresponding to holes, holes being where the first color is absent. FIG. 25 also illustrates that the electronic image region has locations 1530 (within the first image 1550) corresponding to a second color,

It is noted that FIG. 25 may also illustrate a rendered electronic image region 1500, wherein the rendered electronic image region has a first image 1550, locations 1510 corresponding to a first color, locations 1530 corresponding to a second color, and locations 1520 corresponding to holes, holes being where the first color is absent, to create a rough surface on a recording medium that is outside the first image 1550 and to create a smooth surface on the recording medium that is within the first image 1550.

FIG. 26 illustrates an electronic image region 1500 having a first image (letter T as identified by the dashed line) 1550 and a second image (letter L on its side as identified by a dashed/dotted line) 1560.

As illustrated in FIG. 26, the electronic image region has locations 1510 (within and outside the first image 1550) corresponding to a first color and locations 1520 (outside the first image 1550) corresponding to holes, holes being where the first color is absent. FIG. 26 also illustrates that the electronic image region has locations 1530 (within the first image 1550) corresponding to a second color,

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 26, the electronic image region has locations 1540 (within the first image 1550, where the first image 1550 intersects the second image 1560; e.g., region 1570; and within the second image 1560, where the first image 1550 does not intersect the second image 1560; e.g., region 1580) corresponding to a third color.

FIG. 26 illustrates a smooth surface emulation area 1575 (in the first image) in the electronic image region having locations 1510 corresponding to a first color and locations 1530 corresponding to a second color. FIG. 26 also illustrates a smooth surface emulation area 1530 (intersection of first and second images) in the electronic image region having locations 1550 corresponding to a third color and locations 1530 corresponding to a second color.

FIG. 26 illustrates a rough surface emulation area 1580 (in the second image) in the electronic image region having locations 1540 corresponding to a third color and locations 1520 corresponding to holes. FIG. 26 also illustrates a rough surface emulation area 1585 (outside the first and second images) in the electronic image region having locations 1510 corresponding to a first color and locations 1520 corresponding to holes.

It is noted that FIG. 26 may also illustrate a rendered electronic image region 1500, wherein the rendered electronic image region has a first image 1550, a second image 1560, locations 1510 corresponding to a first color, locations 1530 corresponding to a second color, locations 1530 corresponding to a third color, and locations 1520 corresponding to holes, holes being where the first color is absent.

The rendered electronic image region 1500 of FIG. 26 has a rough surface on a recording medium that is outside the first image 1550 and a smooth surface on the recording medium that is within the first image 1550, wherein the second image has a rough surface where the second image does not intersect the first image and has a smooth surface where the second image intersects the first image.

FIG. 27 illustrates the rough surface emulation area 1585 of FIG. 26 rendered with marking material 1615 (corresponding to the first color) so that holes 1620 (absent of marking material 1615) are realized. The combination of the marking material 1615 and holes 1620 create a rough surface on the recording medium.

FIG. 28 illustrates the smooth surface emulation area 1575 of FIG. 26 rendered with marking material 1615 (corresponding to the first color) and marking material 1625 (corresponding to the second color). The combination of the marking material 1615 and marking material 1625 create a smooth surface on the recording medium.

FIG. 29 illustrates the rough surface emulation area 1580 of FIG. 26 rendered with marking material 1635 (corresponding to the third color) so that holes 1620 (absent of marking material 1635) are realized. The combination of the marking material 1635 and holes 1620 create a rough surface on the recording medium.

FIG. 30 illustrates the smooth surface emulation area 1570 of FIG. 26 rendered with marking material 1635 (corresponding to the third color) and marking material 1625 (corresponding to the second color). The combination of the marking material 1635 and marking material 1625 create a smooth surface on the recording medium.

FIG. 31 illustrates a rendered recording medium, wherein the rendered recording medium is being viewed at a first angle. As illustrated in FIG. 31, an image row 3100 shows the image “FIRST LAYER” when the rendered recording medium is viewed at the first angle. Moreover, an image row 3200 shows the image “FIRST LAYER” when the rendered recording medium is viewed at the first angle.

FIG. 32 illustrates the same rendered recording medium of FIG. 31, but the rendered recording medium is being viewed at a second angle. As illustrated in FIG. 32, the image row 3100 shows the image “2” when the rendered recording medium is viewed at the second angle. Moreover, the image row 3200 shows the image “2” when the rendered recording medium is viewed at the second angle. It is noted that upon viewing the rendered recording medium at the second angle, the image “FIRST LAYER” disappears.

The various examples discussed above result from a pattern ink see-saw scalable gloss effect based on one region having a relatively smooth surface while the second region has a relatively rougher surface. A third region is added composed of a color different than the first two. This third region has a relatively smooth surface where it intersects with the first region and a relatively rougher surface where it intersects with the second.

In the various embodiments described above, with respect to FIGS. 23-30, it is noted that the first color may be green, the second color may be yellow, and the third color may be red.

Furthermore, in the various embodiments described above, with respect to FIGS. 23-30, it is noted that the first color may be blue, the second color may be yellow, and the third color may be red.

In the various embodiments described above, with respect to FIGS. 23-30, it is noted that the background of the rendered electronic image region had a rough surface and the second image, in the non-intersecting regions, has a rough surface; however, it is noted that the background of the rendered electronic image region may have a smooth surface and the first image has a rough surface, creating a see-saw scalable gloss effect with a reverse polarity.

Correlation mark fonts and a decoding key, such as a reference screen, can be used in providing security features for a printed document.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 33, a security region 3300 can be printed with conventional correlation mark fonts such that the text is not visible to the human eye. However, as illustrated in FIG. 35, when a reference screen 3410 is placed over the security region 3300 of FIG. 33, the correlation mark fonts (text) 3400 become visible to the human eye. FIG. 35 illustrates a close up 3500 of the security region 3300 of FIG. 33, wherein a “1” (3510) and a “2” (3520) are rendered therein.

The conventional correlation marks in FIGS. 33-35 require a reference screen to decode the underlying correlation mark(s) in the rendered security region.

Moreover, the conventional correlation marks in FIGS. 33-35 can be copied or scanned, wherein the conventional correlation marks survive and can be visible in subsequent copies when utilizing the reference screen.

However, the conventional correlation mark fonts of FIGS. 33-35 are not scalable. More specifically, if a user desires to scale the conventional correlation mark fonts of FIGS. 33-35 to create a larger text, a new font must be created. In other words, the conventional correlation mark fonts of FIGS. 33-35 may only be rendered at exactly one size.

Since the conventional correlation mark fonts are not scalable, a user's font directory may fill up with many choices on a user interface wherein each displayed conventional correlation mark font corresponds to a single size.

Below is an example of the multiple conventional correlation mark fonts needed for the various sizes:

1175979 NeueModern-Bold-CR-18.fnt

1894742 NeueModern-Bold-CR-24.fnt

2628282 NeueModern-Bold-CR-30.fnt

3637473 NeueModern-Bold-CR-36.fnt

4628398 NeueModern-Bold-CR-42.fnt

5987706 NeueModern-Bold-CR-48.fnt

7185321 NeueModern-Bold-CR-54.fnt

8935901 NeueModern-Bold-CR-60.fnt

10385905 NeueModern-Bold-CR-66.fnt

12502884 NeueModern-Bold-CR-72.fnt

It is noted that the above example only shows bolded correlation mark fonts. If italicized correlation mark fonts are desired, a new set of fonts would need to be created.

It is also noted that the conventional correlation mark fonts can be very large (˜12.5 megabytes for the 72 point font), as shown above, causing performance to be slow.

An additional issue with that the conventional correlation mark fonts of FIGS. 33-35, is that the glyphs need to be made “blocky” in order for the character box and character intersection not to produce “stitching” artifacts, thereby causing the character to be seen without the reference screen. The “blocky” requirement can degrade the quality of the correlation mark text and forces the correlation mark text to be a larger size.

Furthermore, the conventional correlation mark fonts of FIGS. 33-35 could not be utilized in creating a pattern ink without causing artifacts.

Lastly, the conventional correlation mark fonts of FIGS. 33-35 cannot be rotated or placed anywhere on the page.

Thus, it is desirable to create a correlation mark font which avoids the issues discussed above.

With respect to creating a correlation mark font, a foreground vector based pattern cell is created or defined. The foreground vector based pattern cell may be defined such that when cells are placed on top, bottom, or on either side of each other, the cells stitch together with no artifacts.

It is noted that the foreground vector based pattern cell may be created by a processor a digital front end of a printing device. The foreground vector based pattern cell is an electronic representation of an image to be rendered by a printing device.

In addition to the foreground vector based pattern cell, a background vector based pattern cell is created or defined. It is noted that the background vector based pattern cell may be created by a processor a digital front end of a printing device. The background vector based pattern cell is an electronic representation of an image to be rendered by a printing device.

It is noted that the background vector based pattern cell may be created by a processor a digital front end of a printing device. The background vector based pattern cell is an electronic representation of an image to be rendered by a printing device.

It is also noted that the background vector is orthogonal to the foreground vector.

The background vector based pattern cell may be defined such that when cells are placed on top, bottom, or on either side of each other, the cells stitch together with no artifacts.

FIG. 36 illustrates a background vector based pattern cell 3600, after rendering, having a vector pattern 3610.

FIG. 37 illustrates a foreground vector based pattern cell 3700, after rendering, having a vector pattern 3710.

The rendered vector pattern 3710 of FIG. 37 is orthogonal to the rendered vector pattern 3610 of FIG. 36.

After creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 3700 and the background vector based pattern cell 3600, a foreground pattern ink is created. The foreground pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the foreground pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line.

Moreover, after creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 3700 and the background vector based pattern cell 3600, a background pattern ink is created. The background pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the background pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line.

Upon creating the background pattern ink and the foreground pattern ink, any size object can be painted with the pattern inks such that the correlation effect appears at the intersection of the pattern inks.

In the embodiment described above, the terms background and foreground are interchangeable. To realize the correlation mark, the relative relationship between the vectors of one cell to the vectors of the other cell is orthogonal.

To create a vector based font based on an existing correlation mark outline font, the existing correlation mark outline font is converted to a Type 3 font, which supports fonts with color spaces. The vector based pattern inks are added outside the character and/or glyph building procedure so that the vector based pattern inks remain at a constant size, position, and orientation.

It is noted that the frequency or the period should match the existing correlation mark outline font so that the existing reference screen remains functional.

The character and/or glyph building procedure is modified to use the vector based pattern inks for any size font such that the outline of the character is the intersection between the foreground vector based pattern ink and the background vector based pattern ink.

The vector based pattern cells are defined outside the font routines that build characters and glyphs so that the vector based pattern cell size never changes. However the size, position, and shear of the font can now change without creating artifacts.

FIG. 38 illustrates a zoomed representation of a correlation mark image region 3800 having correlation mark text “3” (3810) and “6” (3820) created using the foreground vector based pattern cell 3700 and the background vector based pattern cell 3600. While the text “3” (3810) and “6” (3820) in the zoomed image of FIG. 38 can be read, the actual rendered text “3” (3810) and “6” (3820) cannot be read without a reference screen.

The correlation mark, as shown in FIG. 36-38, create a single layer only correlation mark because the foreground and background vectors are orthogonal, The orthogonal foreground and background vectors produce a much high quality correlation mark effect; the rendered image has minimal artifacts between foreground and background; and the font is not readable without a reference screen.

To create a multilayer correlation mark, the above process is followed except that the vectors in the foreground pattern ink are parallel to, but out of phase with, the vectors in the background pattern ink.

FIG. 39 illustrates a background vector based pattern cell 3900, after rendering, having a vector pattern 3910 for a first layer of a multilayer correlation mark.

FIG. 40 illustrates a foreground vector based pattern cell 4000, after rendering, having a vector pattern 4010 for a first layer of a multilayer correlation mark.

The rendered vector pattern 4010 of FIG. 40 is parallel to the rendered vector pattern 3910 of FIG. 39, but out of phase thereto.

After creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 4000 and the background vector based pattern cell 3900, a foreground pattern ink is created. The foreground pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the foreground pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line.

Moreover, after creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 4000 and the background vector based pattern cell 3900, a background pattern ink is created. The background pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the background pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line.

Upon creating the background pattern ink and the foreground pattern ink, any size object can be painted with the pattern inks such that the correlation effect appears at the intersection of the pattern inks.

In the embodiment described above, the terms background and foreground are interchangeable. To realize the correlation mark, the relative relationship between the vectors of one cell to the vectors of the other cell is parallel to, but out of phase therewith.

FIG. 41 illustrates a zoomed representation of a first layer of a multilayer correlation mark image region 4100 having correlation mark text “e” (4110) and “f” (4120) created using the foreground vector based pattern cell 4000 and the background vector based pattern cell 3900. While the text “e” (4110) and “f” (4120) in the zoomed image of FIG. 41 can be read, the actual rendered text “e” (4110) and “f” (4120) cannot be read without a reference screen.

The correlation mark, as shown in FIG. 39-41, create a first layer of a multilayer correlation mark which can be seen with a reference screen.

FIG. 45 illustrates a background vector based pattern cell 4500, after rendering, having a vector pattern 4510 for a second layer of a multilayer correlation mark.

FIG. 46 illustrates a foreground vector based pattern cell 4600, after rendering, having a vector pattern 4610 for a second layer of a multilayer correlation mark.

The rendered vector pattern 4610 of FIG. 46 is parallel to the rendered vector pattern 4510 of FIG. 45, but out of phase thereto.

It is further noted that the rendered vector pattern 4610 of FIG. 46 and the rendered vector pattern 4510 of FIG. 45 are orthogonal to the rendered vector pattern 3910 of FIG. 39 is parallel to the rendered vector pattern 4010 of FIG. 40.

After creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 4600 and the background vector based pattern cell 4500, a foreground pattern ink is created. The foreground pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the foreground pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line.

Moreover, after creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 4600 and the background vector based pattern cell 4500, a background pattern ink is created. The background pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the background pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line.

Upon creating the background pattern ink and the foreground pattern ink, any size object can be painted with the pattern inks such that the correlation effect appears at the intersection of the pattern inks.

In the embodiment described above, the terms background and foreground are interchangeable. To realize the second layer of the correlation mark, the relative relationship between the vectors of one cell to the vectors of the other cell is parallel to, but out of phase therewith and orthogonal to the cells of the first layer.

FIG. 47 illustrates a zoomed representation of a second layer of a multilayer correlation mark image region 4700 having correlation mark text “H” (4710) and “I” (4720) created using the foreground vector based pattern cell 4600 and the background vector based pattern cell 4500. While the text “H” (4710) and “I” (4720) in the zoomed image of FIG. 47 can be read, the actual rendered text “H” (4710) and “I” (4720) cannot be read without a reference screen.

The correlation mark of the multilayer correlation mark, as shown in FIG. 45-47, create a second layer of a multilayer correlation mark which can be seen with a reference screen.

The second layer of the multilayer correlation mark may have the same vector pattern as the first layer of the multilayer correlation mark except that the second layer is rotated 90 or −90 degrees (orthogonal to the first layer).

The second layer can be used by itself and viewed (decoded) with the reference screen used to view the first layer, but the reference screen is rotated 90 or −90 degrees from a position used to view the first layer.

It is further noted that the second layer and the first layer of the multilayer correlation mark can be used in combination; i.e., rendered in a common area.

Also, it is noted that the second layer and the first layer of the multilayer correlation mark can be used to create different alphanumeric characters or special characters.

When used in combination, the first layer of the multilayer correlation mark is generated using a first scalar value and the second layer of the multilayer correlation mark is generated using a second scalar value, wherein the first scalar value is not equal to the second scalar value.

More specifically, the multi-layer correlation mark is a combination of a first layer and a second layer. The first layer has a predefined frequency of lines (vectors). The first layer, as illustrated, has the lines (vectors) set at a first angle.

To enable the multilayer correlation mark, the lines (vectors) in the first layer are printed by applying a first scalar value to a single channel of the printing apparatus. For example, wherein the single channel is a grayscale channel, the first scalar value may be a percentage value between 0 percent and 100 percent of a level of modulation of the single channel. In other words, the first scalar value may be a percentage value of the black pixel (e.g., 100% or the pixel is “ON”) that is printed by the grayscale channel, wherein the percentage value of a white pixel is 0% or the pixel is “OFF.”

The second layer has a predefined frequency of lines (vectors). The predefined frequency of the lines (vectors) of the second layer may be the same as the predefined frequency of lines (vectors) of the first layer. When the predefined frequency is the same for the lines (vectors) of the second layer and the lines (vectors) of the first layer, a single key can be used to decode the first layer and the second layer. The second layer, as illustrated, has the lines (vectors) set at a second angle.

The first angle and the second angle may be different, but as noted above, difference between the first angle and the second angle is 90 degrees so that the layers are orthogonal.

The lines (vectors) in the second layer may be printed by applying a second scalar value to the single channel of the printing apparatus. For example, wherein the single channel is a grayscale channel, the second scalar value may be a percentage value between 0 percent and 100 percent of a level of modulation of the single channel. In other words, the second scalar value may be a percentage value of the black pixel (e.g., 100% or the pixel is “ON”) that is printed by the grayscale channel, wherein the percentage value of a white pixel is 0% or the pixel is “OFF.”

As noted above, the first scalar value is not equal to the second scalar value. It is preferred that the difference of the first scalar value and the second scalar value should be at least 25 percent. For example, if the first scalar value is 50 percent, the second scalar value may be 25 percent or 75 percent. In another example, if the first scalar value is 70 percent, the second scalar value may be 45 percent or 90 percent, and so forth.

When the first and second layers of the multilayer correlation mark are rendered in the same common area, the reference screen may be positioned at a first angle to view the first layer of the multilayer correlation mark and then rotated 90 or −90 degrees to view the second layer of the multilayer correlation mark.

It is also desirable to create a glossmark font which avoids the issues discussed above.

With respect to creating a glossmark font, a foreground vector based pattern cell is created or defined. The foreground vector based pattern cell may be defined such that when cells are placed on top, bottom, or on either side of each other, the cells stitch together with no artifacts.

It is noted that the foreground vector based pattern cell may be created by a processor a digital front end of a printing device. The foreground vector based pattern cell is an electronic representation of an image to be rendered by a printing device.

In addition to the foreground vector based pattern cell, a background vector based pattern cell is created or defined. It is noted that the background vector based pattern cell may be created by a processor a digital front end of a printing device. The background vector based pattern cell is an electronic representation of an image to be rendered by a printing device.

It is noted that the background vector based pattern cell may be created by a processor a digital front end of a printing device. The background vector based pattern cell is an electronic representation of an image to be rendered by a printing device.

It is also noted that the background vector is orthogonal to the foreground vector.

The background vector based pattern cell may be defined such that when cells are placed on top, bottom, or on either side of each other, the cells stitch together with no artifacts.

FIG. 42 illustrates a background vector based pattern cell 4200, after rendering, having a vector pattern 4210.

FIG. 43 illustrates a foreground vector based pattern cell 4300, after rendering, having a vector pattern 4310.

The rendered vector pattern 4310 of FIG. 43 is orthogonal to the rendered vector pattern 4210 of FIG. 42.

After creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 4300 and the background vector based pattern cell 4200, a foreground pattern ink is created. The foreground pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the foreground pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thick line.

Moreover, after creating the foreground vector based pattern cell 4300 and the background vector based pattern cell 4200, a background pattern ink is created. The background pattern ink may be created at a fixed affine transformation. The paint procedure of the background pattern ink is defined to paint the vectors with a thick line.

Upon creating the background pattern ink and the foreground pattern ink, any size object can be painted with the pattern inks such that the gloss effect appears at the intersection of the pattern inks.

In the embodiment described above, the terms background and foreground are interchangeable. To realize the gloss effect, the relative relationship between the vectors of one cell to the vectors of the other cell is orthogonal.

To create a vector based font based on an existing Glossmark™ outline font, the existing Glossmark™ outline font is converted to a Type 3 font, which supports fonts with color spaces. The vector based pattern inks are added outside the character and/or glyph building procedure so that the vector based pattern inks remain at a constant size, position, and orientation.

The character and/or glyph building procedure is modified to use the vector based pattern inks for any size font such that the outline of the character is the intersection between the foreground vector based pattern ink and the background vector based pattern ink.

The vector based pattern cells are defined outside the font routines that build characters and glyphs so that the vector based pattern cell size never changes. However the size, position, and shear of the font can now change without creating artifacts.

FIG. 44 illustrates a zoomed representation of a glossmark image region having a background region 4400 and a text string having characters “B” (4410) and “D” (4420) created using the foreground vector based pattern cell 4300 and the background vector based pattern cell 4200. While the characters “B” (4410) and “D” (4420) in the zoomed image of FIG. 44 can be read, the actual rendered characters “B” (4410) and “D” (4420) would only be visible at a predetermined angle of observation.

More specifically, the actual rendered characters “B” (4410) and “D” (4420) would not be visible when viewing the image straight on, but would be visible when viewing the image at an angle (image tilted).

FIG. 48 illustrates the differences between creating vector based correlation marks and vector based glossmarks. It is noted that FIG. 48 shows one of three possible correlation marks.

As illustrated in the first row of FIG. 48, the two processes begin with defining a pattern ink′ width and length with a bounding box (cell) 4800. The bounding boxes may be equal in size, as illustrated, but the bounding boxes may be of different sizes.

The dashed lines indicate that the pattern ink is defined, but not rendered. At this point in the process the size pattern ink is fixed.

In the next row of FIG. 48, a set of vectors 4810 for the glossmark is defined, and another set of vectors 4820 for the correlation mark is defined. These sets of vectors could be for the foreground pattern ink or the background pattern ink.

In the third row of FIG. 48, a set of vectors 4830 for the glossmark is defined, and another set of vectors 4840 for the correlation mark is defined.

The set of vectors 4830 for the glossmark is orthogonal to the set of vectors 4810 for the glossmark, while the set of vectors 4820 for the correlation mark is parallel, but out of phase with, to the set of vectors 4840 for the correlation mark.

The dashed box 4835 of FIG. 48 shows the overlay of the set of vectors 4820 for the correlation mark with the set of vectors 4840 for the correlation mark to show the parallel, but out of phase, relationship.

In the fourth row of FIG. 48, the paint procedure for the set of vectors 4810 for the glossmark is defined to paint the vectors with a thick line 4850, and the paint procedure for the set of vectors 4820 for the correlation mark is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line 4860.

In the fifth row of FIG. 48, the paint procedure for the set of vectors 4830 for the glossmark is defined to paint the vectors with a thick line 4870, and the paint procedure for the set of vectors 4840 for the correlation mark is defined to paint the vectors with a thin line 4880.

As previously noted, it desirable to provide a process that produces a gloss security mark while using low gloss toners or low glossmarking materials.

A glossmark is realized, as noted above, by the creation of a toner channel or toner canyon when rendering the image with marking materials on a recording medium. Conventionally, the glossmark is realized by the reflectance of the sides of the toner channel or toner canyon when the rendered image is titled at a predetermined angle.

On the other hand, when the rendered image is viewed straight on, the reflectance of the sides of the toner channel or toner canyon is not perceived and thus the glossmark is not visibly perceivable.

FIG. 49 illustrates a toner channel or toner canyon 4910, wherein the channel or canyon 4910 is created by rendering a solid background color toner layer 4930 on a recording medium 4900. On top of the solid background color toner layer 4930, a glossmark 4920 is rendered. The sides of the glossmark 4920 provide the sidewalls 4915 of the toner channel or toner canyon 4910.

The reflectance for the glossmark is a combination of the reflectance from the solid background color toner layer 4930 and the sidewalls 4915 of the toner channel or toner canyon 4910.

Although FIG. 49 illustrates that the glossmarks are rectangular, in reality, the glossmarks are shaped more like a mound. The gloss effect is from the elevation change in the rendered toner, wherein the elevation change creates a channel or canyon such that the reflectance for the glossmark is a combination of the reflectance from the solid background color toner layer and the sidewalls of the toner channel or toner canyon, and the glossmark is not visibly perceivable when the rendered image is viewed straight on.

The glossmark of FIG. 49 can be realized by setting the overprint function of a printing system to be true. The overprint function causes the printing system to print over an existing background without knocking out the background and replacing it with the foreground being printed. The continuous tone of the printing system is also set to true.

With the overprint function and the continuous tone set to true, the printing system creates a solid color background; i.e., a solid background of 100% cyan (C), a solid background of 100% magenta (M), a solid background of 100% yellow (Y), or a solid background of 100% black (K) for a CMYK printing device; or a solid background of 100% cyan (C), a solid background of 100% magenta (M), a solid background of 100% yellow (Y), a solid background of 100% black (K), a solid background of 100% violet (V), or a solid background of 100% orange (O), for a CMYKVO printing device.

A solid color foreground that is different from the solid color background and is supported by the overprint function is selected. The selected solid color is used to render the glossmarks on top of the rendered solid color background. It is noted that the solid color foreground is not limited to a single color CMYK color; e.g., a M background with C K foreground.

It is noted that the above glossmark and solid color background may be rendered on a glossy recording medium.

FIG. 50 illustrates a glossmark area wherein the glossmark area is rendered with a solid background color toner layer 5030. The glossmark image region has a background region 5000 and a text string having characters “B” (5010) and “D” (5020) created using the foreground vector based pattern cell 4300 of FIG. 43 and the background vector based pattern cell 4200 of FIG. 42.

While the characters “B” (5010) and “D” (5020) in the zoomed image of FIG. 50 can be read, the actual rendered characters “B” (5010) and “D” (5020) would only be visible at a predetermined angle of observation.

More specifically, the actual rendered characters “B” (5010) and “D” (5020) would not be visible when viewing the image straight on, but would be visible when viewing the image at an angle (image tilted).

In the glossmark area of FIG. 50, the toner channels or toner canyons are created by the rendering of the vectors (lines) on top of the solid background color toner layer.

As noted above, solid background color toner layer may be 100% cyan, 100% magenta, or 100% yellow. It is further noted that 100% of a different color toner may be used as the solid background color toner layer.

Another approach for the assembly of a glossmark image receives primary image as input data to a digital front-end. However, a desired glossmark image is also received as input data to the digital front-end as well.

The processed image as sent to the image output terminal is gray-scaled, the halftone density being driven by the primary image data. However, a halftone type selection is driven by the intended glossmark image data.

For example, the intended glossmark image data can be used as input to a multiplexer switch which would direct a portion of the primary image to use a first anisotropic structured halftone while directing a different portion of the primary image to an alternative halftone to be used.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the intended glossmark image data may be flattened into simple zero and one pixel data representations. This pattern of zeroes and ones are then used to toggle the multiplexer to one halftone anisotropic structure orientation type or the other.

The intended glossmark image data therefore causes the toggling between either a first halftone screen or a second halftone screen. The halftone screens produce the composite result of raster input processed image data. In this way, a superimposition of a glossmark image pattern is embedded into the primary image which can only be perceived as a gloss differential glossmark.

By alternating between the two halftone screens, the two halftone screens being selected such that each has identical matching density characteristics while displaying distinctly different anisotropic structure orientations, enables the super imposition of a glossmark in a rendered image.

FIG. 51 illustrates a flowchart of a process of rendering a gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer.

As illustrated in FIG. 51, a portable document format (PDF) file is converted to a PostScript™ file at step S5110. At step S5120, an interpreter process, within a digital front end, is performed upon the converted PostScript™ file. The interpreter process converts the converted PostScript™ file to a low level graphics DL (display list) format; e.g., lines and trapezoids. It is noted that the interpreter process may be performed upon a non-converted PostScript™ file.

At step S5130, the process determines if individual objects within the interpreted file has been tagged with /ALL spot color. If the object has been tagged with /ALL spot color, the object bypasses the process of step S5140 and proceeds to step S5150.

If the object has not been tagged with /ALL spot color, the object is subjected to the color management process of step S5140, which may alter the amount of and/or type of color per object. The color management process of step S5140 may include a “knockout” process that knocks out any color mixed with black.

The color management process of step S5140 may also include color substitution which attempts to print the same colors the user sees on their screen when viewing a document.

The color management process of step S5140 may further include a marking material limiting process which constrains the total amount of marking material used in the rendering process.

The color management process of step S5140 may also include a process which modifies colors by, for example, applying ICC profiles.

At step S5150, the tagged and non-tagged objects in the interpreted file are converted into a bitmap.

At step S5160, a color printer renders the bitmap, using marking materials, as an image on a recording medium.

The color printer may utilize look-up tables, super resolution encoding, and other conventional processes in rendering the bitmap, using marking materials, as an image on a recording medium.

FIG. 52 illustrates another flowchart of a process of rendering a gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer.

As illustrated in FIG. 52, at step S5210, an /All pass through is enabled in a portable document format (PDF) file to PostScript™ file conversion process within a digital front end.

At step S5220, objects are enabled to be tagged with /All spot color for an interpreter process and/or a rasterization process within a digital front end.

At step S5230, an electronic image region is electronically created having a first image region and a second image region, wherein in the illustrated embodiment, the electronic image region is a text box, the first image region is the background of the text box, and the second image region is the text of the text box.

It is noted that, in another embodiment, the second image region is the background of the text box, and the first image region is the text of the text box.

At step S5240, the background of the text box is electronically painted with single component black, and at step S5250, the text of the text box is electronically painted with multiple component black, the multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer.

At step S5260, a color printer renders, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the second image region of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the first image region of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material.

The second image region of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the second image region of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

With respect to the embodiments described above, in CMYK printing, registration black refers to 100% coverage in each of the four process colors: cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). In other words, if a different mixture of colors is used, registration black marks are rendered in each of the colorants used by the printer.

To simply define registration color as 100% of C,M,Y,K is not correct, since registration color is defined as being 100% of whichever colors are used in reproduction by the printer. Thus, registration color is a special purpose color, and as such, is not generally used to print black text or grayscale graphics.

Instead, registration black is used for printing crop marks, or “registration marks.”

For example, when proofs for each color are generated on separate pieces of recording medium, the use of registration black makes crop marks visible on all channels, thereby providing a useful reference for alignment.

More specifically, a thin line printed in registration black can also be used to check whether the printing plates are lined up.

Moreover, with respect to the embodiments described above, the phrase, “/All spot color,” means 100% of every color available to the printer rendering the image. For example, in a CMYK printer, “/All spot color,” means 100% of the C, M, Y, and K marking materials.

In a CMYK plus Clear printer, “/All spot color,” means 100% of the C, M, Y, K, and Clear marking materials.

In a CMYKO (orange (O)) printer, “/All spot color,” means 100% of the C, M, Y, K, and O marking materials.

The microgloss effect image, as discussed above, is realized by rendering with 100% of all the colored marking materials available to the printer versus rendering with 100% K (single component black marking material).

Thus, the use of registration black and enablement of the /All spot color allow marking material limits, color substitution, knock outs, and color management to bypassed to create a microgloss effect image.

Moreover, the use of registration black and enablement of the /All spot color allow marking material limits, color substitution, knock outs, and color management to bypassed to create a microgloss effect image on an uncoated recording medium.

In summary, a method for rendering a gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium electronically creates a first vector based pattern cell having first vectors; electronically creates a second vector based pattern cell having second vectors, the first vectors of the first vector based pattern cell being orthogonal to the second vectors of the second vector based pattern cell; electronically creates a first electronic pattern ink, using the first vector based pattern cell, the first electronic pattern ink having an electronic painting procedure for the first vectors in the first vector based pattern cell defining an electronic painting of the first vectors as thick lines; electronically creates a second electronic pattern ink, using the second vector based pattern cell, the second electronic pattern ink having an electronic painting procedure for the second vectors in the second vector based pattern cell defining an electronic painting of the second vectors as thick lines; electronically paints a background base of an electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; electronically paints, using the second electronic pattern ink, a background of the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; electronically paints, using the first electronic pattern ink, a foreground in the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; and renders, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium to create a rendered image area such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the pattern in the rendered image area being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the foreground in the electronic image region. The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the background in the electronic image region.

The pattern in the rendered image area may be an alphanumeric character.

A system for rendering a gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium includes a processor for electronically creating a first vector based pattern cell having first vectors; the processor electronically creating a second vector based pattern cell having second vectors, the first vectors of the first vector based pattern cell being orthogonal to the second vectors of the second vector based pattern cell; the processor electronically creating a first electronic pattern ink, using the first vector based pattern cell, the first electronic pattern ink having an electronic painting procedure for the first vectors in the first vector based pattern cell defining an electronic painting of the first vectors as thick lines; the processor electronically creating a second electronic pattern ink, using the second vector based pattern cell, the second electronic pattern ink having an electronic painting procedure for the second vectors in the second vector based pattern cell defining an electronic painting of the second vectors as thick lines; the processor electronically painting a background base of an electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; the processor electronically painting, using the second electronic pattern ink, a background of the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; the processor electronically painting, using the first electronic pattern ink, a foreground in the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; and a print engine for rendering, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium to create a rendered image area such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the pattern in the rendered image area being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the foreground in the electronic image region. The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the background in the electronic image region.

The pattern in the rendered image area may be an alphanumeric character.

A system for rendering a gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium includes a processor for electronically creating a first pattern cell having a first pattern of elements having a first direction; the processor electronically creating a second pattern cell having a second pattern of elements having a second direction, the first direction of the first pattern cell being orthogonal to the second direction of the second pattern cell; the processor electronically creating a first electronic pattern ink, using the first pattern cell; the processor electronically creating a second electronic pattern ink, using the second pattern cell; the processor electronically painting a background base of an electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; the processor electronically painting, using the second electronic pattern ink, a background of the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; the processor electronically painting, using the first electronic pattern ink, a foreground in the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; and a print engine for rendering, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium to create a rendered image area such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the pattern in the rendered image area being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the foreground in the electronic image region. The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the background in the electronic image region.

The pattern in the rendered image area may be an alphanumeric character.

A method for rendering a gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium electronically creates a first pattern cell having a first pattern of elements having a first direction; electronically creates a second pattern cell having a second pattern of elements having a second direction, the first direction of the first pattern cell being orthogonal to the second direction of the second pattern cell; electronically creates a first electronic pattern ink, using the first pattern cell; electronically creates a second electronic pattern ink, using the second pattern cell; electronically paints a background base of an electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; electronically paints, using the second electronic pattern ink, a background of the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; electronically paints, using the first electronic pattern ink, a foreground in the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; and rendering, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium to create a rendered image area such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the pattern in the rendered image area being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the foreground in the electronic image region. The pattern in the rendered image area may correspond to the background in the electronic image region.

The pattern in the rendered image area may be an alphanumeric character.

A method for providing a glossmark in a halftone image receives image data to be rendered and glossmark data, electronically paints a background of an electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; electronically paints, using the received image data and without knocking out the solid color of the background of the electronic image region, a foreground of the electronic image region, the foreground of the electronic image region being painted using a first halftone having a first anisotropic structure orientation when the received gloss data is a first state, the foreground of the electronic image region being painted using a second halftone having a second anisotropic structure orientation different from that of the first halftone, the first halftone when the received gloss data is not the first state; and renders, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium to create a rendered image area such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the pattern in the rendered image area being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

A system for providing a glossmark in a halftone image includes a digital front end and a printing system. The digital front end receives image data to be rendered and glossmark data, electronically paints a background of an electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; and electronically paints, using the received image data and without knocking out the solid color of the background of the electronic image region, a foreground of the electronic image region, the foreground of the electronic image region being painted using a first halftone having a first anisotropic structure orientation when the received gloss data is a first state, the foreground of the electronic image region being painted using a second halftone having a second anisotropic structure orientation different from that of the first halftone, the first halftone when the received gloss data is not the first state. The printing system renders, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium to create a rendered image area such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the pattern in the rendered image area being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

A method for rendering a gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium electronically creates an electronic pattern ink, the electronic pattern ink being created using an image of the print job; electronically creates an electronic image region having a variable portion and a fixed portion, the variable portion being a text string and a specialty imaging font; electronically paints a background of the electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; electronically paints, using the electronic pattern ink, the variable portion and the fixed portion of the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background of the electronic image region; and renders, using marking materials, the electronic image region on a recording medium such that the rendered electronic image region provides a security element for the rendered print job such that the security element is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered electronic image region by an illumination source is a first angle, the security element in the rendered electronic image region being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered electronic image region by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The specialty imaging font is associated with a glossmark such that the rendered electronic image region provides a glossmark as the security element for the rendered electronic image region.

A system for rendering a gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium includes a digital front end and a printing system. The digital front end electronically creates an electronic pattern ink, the electronic pattern ink being created using an image of the print job; electronically creates an electronic image region having a variable portion and a fixed portion, the variable portion being a text string and a specialty imaging font; electronically paints a background of the electronic image region with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; and electronically paints, using the electronic pattern ink, the variable portion and the fixed portion of the electronic image region without knocking out the solid color of the background of the electronic image region. The printing system renders, using marking materials, the electronic image region on a recording medium such that the rendered electronic image region provides a security element for the rendered print job such that the security element is only visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered electronic image region by an illumination source is a first angle, the security element in the rendered electronic image region being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the rendered electronic image region by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The specialty imaging font is associated with a glossmark such that the rendered electronic image region provides a glossmark as the security element for the rendered electronic image region.

A method for rendering a micro gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium using a color printer includes (a) electronically creating an electronic image region having a background and a pattern; (b) electronically painting the background of the electronic image region with single component black; (c) electronically painting the pattern of the electronic image region with multiple component black, multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and (d) rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the pattern of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the background of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the pattern of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the pattern of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The recording medium may be uncoated.

A system for rendering a micro gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium includes a processor for electronically creating an electronic image region having a background and a pattern; the processor electronically painting the background of the electronic image region with single component black; the processor electronically painting the pattern of the electronic image region with multiple component black, multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and a color print engine for rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the pattern of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the background of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the pattern of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the pattern of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The recording medium may be uncoated.

A method for rendering a micro gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium using a color printer includes (a) electronically creating an electronic image region having a background and a pattern; (b) electronically painting the pattern of the electronic image region with single component black; (c) electronically painting the background of the electronic image region with multiple component black, multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and (d) rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the background of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the pattern of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the pattern of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the pattern of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The recording medium may be uncoated.

A system for rendering a micro gloss effect image pattern on a recording medium includes a processor for electronically creating an electronic image region having a background and a pattern; the processor electronically painting the pattern of the electronic image region with single component black; the processor electronically painting the background of the electronic image region with multiple component black, multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and a color print engine for rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the background of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the pattern of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the pattern of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the pattern of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The recording medium may be uncoated.

A method for rendering a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer having multiple color marking materials includes (a) electronically creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; (b) electronically painting the first image region of the electronic image region with single component black; (c) electronically painting the second image region of the electronic image region with multiple component black, the multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and (d) rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the second image region of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the first image region of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the second image region of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the second image region of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The recording medium may be uncoated.

The first image region of the electronic image region may be a background of the electronic image region and the second image region of the electronic image region may be a pattern in the electronic image region.

The second image region of the electronic image region may be a background of the electronic image region and the first image region of the electronic image region may be a pattern in the electronic image region.

A system for rendering a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer having multiple color marking materials includes a processor for electronically creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; the processor electronically painting the first image region of the electronic image region with single component black; the processor electronically painting the second image region of the electronic image region with multiple component black, the multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and a color print engine for rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the second image region of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the first image region of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the second image region of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the second image region of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The recording medium may be uncoated.

The first image region of the electronic image region may be a background of the electronic image region and the second image region of the electronic image region may be a pattern in the electronic image region.

The second image region of the electronic image region may be a background of the electronic image region and the first image region of the electronic image region may be a pattern in the electronic image region.

A method of rendering a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a digital front end processor and a color printer having multiple color marking materials includes (a) electronically, in the digital front end processor, enabling objects of a document to be printed to be tagged with /All spot color, the /All spot color representing a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; (b) electronically, in the digital front end processor, creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; (c) electronically, in the digital front end processor, painting the first image region with single component black; (d) electronically, in the digital front end processor, painting the second image region with the /All spot color; and (e) rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the second image region of the electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and the first image region of the electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that the second image region of the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and the second image region of the electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.

The first image region of the electronic image region may be a text box and the second image region of the electronic image region may be text.

The second image region of the electronic image region may be a text box and the first image region of the electronic image region may be text.

The single component black marking material may be a microgloss low marking material.

The /All spot color may represent all the single color marking materials in the color printer used in a registration process of the color printer.

The method may electronically, in the digital front end processor, enable /All pass through during a portable document format to postscript conversion process.

The enabling of objects of a document to be printed to be tagged with /All spot color may be for an interpreter process executed by the digital front end processor.

The enabling of objects of a document to be printed to be tagged with /All spot color may be for a rasterization process executed by the digital front end processor.

It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the description above and the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for rendering a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer having multiple color marking materials, comprising: (a) electronically creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; (b) electronically painting said first image region of said electronic image region with single component black; (c) electronically painting said second image region of said electronic image region with multiple component black, said multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and (d) rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, said electronic image region on the recording medium such that said second image region of said electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and said first image region of said electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that said second image region of said electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and said second image region of said electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, said second angle being not equal to said first angle.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recording medium is uncoated.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first image region of said electronic image region is a background of said electronic image region and said second image region of said electronic image region is a pattern in said electronic image region.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second image region of said electronic image region is a background of said electronic image region and said first image region of said electronic image region is a pattern in said electronic image region.
 5. A system for rendering a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a color printer having multiple color marking materials, comprising: a processor for electronically creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; said processor electronically painting said first image region of said electronic image region with single component black; said processor electronically painting said second image region of said electronic image region with multiple component black, said multiple component black being a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; and a color print engine for rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, said electronic image region on the recording medium such that said second image region of said electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and said first image region of said electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that said second image region of said electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and said second image region of said electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, said second angle being not equal to said first angle.
 6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said recording medium is uncoated.
 7. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first image region of said electronic image region is a background of said electronic image region and said second image region of said electronic image region is a pattern in said electronic image region.
 8. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second image region of said electronic image region is a background of said electronic image region and said first image region of said electronic image region is a pattern in said electronic image region.
 9. A method of rendering a micro gloss effect image on a recording medium using a digital front end processor and a color printer having multiple color marking materials, comprising: (a) electronically, in the digital front end processor, enabling objects of a document to be printed to be tagged with /All spot color, said /All spot color representing a combination of all single color marking materials in the color printer; (b) electronically, in the digital front end processor, creating an electronic image region having a first image region and a second image region; (c) electronically, in the digital front end processor, painting said first image region with single component black; (d) electronically, in the digital front end processor, painting said second image region with the /All spot color; and (e) rendering, using the color marking materials of the color printer, said electronic image region on the recording medium such that said second image region of said electronic image region is rendered with all single color marking materials in the color printer and said first image region of said electronic image region is rendered with only single component black marking material, such that said second image region of said electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle and said second image region of said electronic image region is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, said second angle being not equal to said first angle.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first image region of said electronic image region is a text box and said second image region of said electronic image region is text.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second image region of said electronic image region is a text box and said first image region of said electronic image region is text.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said single component black marking material is a microgloss low marking material.
 13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said /All spot color represents all the single color marking materials in the color printer used in a registration process of the color printer.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising (f) electronically, in the digital front end processor, enabling /All pass through during a portable document format to postscript conversion process.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein electronically enabling objects of a document to be printed to be tagged with /All spot color during an interpreter process executed by the digital front end processor.
 16. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein electronically enabling objects of a document to be printed to be tagged with /All spot color during a rasterization process executed by the digital front end processor. 